I investigate how positive social, environmental, and psychological factors may reduce incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease and gun violence and their risk factors at the individual and community levels. I aim to test ways to leverage these individual and community assets to mitigate disparities in these health outcomes.
At the individual level, I investigate how positive psychosocial factors such as optimism, emotion regulation, and resilience mitigate the impact of chronic stress on cardiovascular disease risk. At the community level, I work with community organizations to build social connections and capacity to reduce disease burden. Along these lines, I have developed a framework for understanding collective well-being, a community-level measure of the ability of a place to support and promote health from birth.
Preventive Medicine; Social Justice
Cardiovascular Diseases; Community Health; Modeling; Community Engagement; Health Equity, Disparities, Social Determinants and Justice